Podcast: “Research integrity, AI and open access”
2025년 4월 17일
저자: Rebecca Clear
Elsevier Chair YS Chi interviews Laura Hassink, Elsevier’s Managing Director of Journals, for the RELX podcast Unique Contributions. Read key takeaways and listen to the podcast.
How Elsevier is navigating the hot topics of scientific publishing — with Laura Hassink and YS Chi
In the latest episode of the RELX Podcast Unique Contributions, Elsevier’s Managing Director of Journals, Laura Hassink, shares her insights on scientific publishing, peer review, open access and research integrity with Elsevier Chair YoungSuk “YS” Chi.
Here are some excerpts and key takeaways from their conversation.
Laura Hassink on joining Elsevier
I joined Elsevier 28 years ago as a graduate trainee. I wasn’t in science like many of my colleagues; I studied economics and ended up at Elsevier. I thought I would stay three years — yet here I am after 28 years and still enjoying it every day.
… We have different solutions for some of the problems that our customers are facing. [There’s] never a dull moment. Every year, there’s change and new developments, and that’s really what I enjoy.
On publishing scale and quality control
Laura pointed out that Elsevier publishes about 720,000 articles annually across over 3,000 journals — 17% of the world’s research output. The rigorous peer review process involves 36,000 editors and 1.7 million reviewers, to help ensure that only quality research is published. This commitment to quality is reflected in the high citation rates of Elsevier articles, which account for about 29% of total citations. This means that the research Elsevier publishes is highly relevant to other researchers and speaks to its quality.
Two main publishing models
Elsevier operates under two primary payment models: “pay to read” (subscription) and “pay to publish” (open access). This allows authors to choose the model that best suits their needs, accommodating different preferences, such as those of institutions or funders of research. “As a publisher, it’s important that we can serve all our customers,” Laura said.
On why Elsevier is expanding its open access portfolio
Laura said Elsevier has been launching more open access journals in response to a growing demand, particularly in Europe and specific disciplines. Last year, Elsevier published more than 250,000 open access articles — a 30% increase. Elsevier now publishes 900 fully open access journals. Elsevier wants to offer a wider range of titles, as with Elsevier’s subscription journals, Laura noted:
We want to offer that choice … to really provide that range in the different disciplines, quality tiers, etc.
On Elsevier’s commitment to research integrity
With the rise in publication volume and the various threats to quality, concerns about research integrity have intensified. Elsevier has established strict guidelines to address issues such as plagiarism and fraudulent authorship. The company is actively enhancing its technological capabilities and human oversight team to identify potential integrity breaches before articles undergo peer review.
Editorial independence is the cornerstone of our journals
Editorial independence is crucial for maintaining trust in scientific publishing. While Elsevier provides tools and recommendations to support editors, the ultimate decision on article acceptance rests with the editors. This separation ensures that the integrity of the peer review process remains intact and that decisions are made based on scientific merit rather than external pressures.
Access for researchers in developing countries
Elsevier is committed to improving access to research, particularly in developing countries, through initiatives like Research4Life 새 탭/창에서 열기, which provides free or low-cost access to peer-reviewed content. This program enables researchers in resource-limited settings to engage with global scientific literature, fostering inclusive research and collaboration.
기여자
RC